


The Eternal Journey

by ElinaRoss



Category: Akatsuki no Yona | Yona of the Dawn
Genre: Acceptance, Aftermath of Torture, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Anxiety Attacks, Best Friends, Big Changes from the original work, Blood and Violence, Bottom Zeno, Boys In Love, Brotherhood, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brothers, Comfort/Angst, Comforting Dragons, Dark Past, Death, Dom Jae-Ha, Dom/sub, Domestic Violence, Dominant Jae-Ha, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Love, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Forbidden Love, Force Healing, Friendship, Friendship/Love, Gay, Gay Rights, Gay Sex, Healing, Healing Power, Hurt Zeno, Hurt/Comfort, Immortality, Implied/Referenced Mind Control, Implied/Referenced Torture, Love, Love/Hate, M/M, Not Really Character Death, Origin Story, Pain, Painful Sex, Panic, Panic Attacks, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Domestic Violence, Past Lives, Past Rape/Non-con, Past Relationship(s), Past Sexual Abuse, Past Torture, Past Violence, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Older Brothers, Psychological Torture, Rough Sex, Sad, Sad Zeno, Self-Acceptance, Separation Anxiety, Sexual Violence, Spirit Animals, Spirit Guides, Sub Zeno, Submissive Zeno, This Is Not Going To Go The Way You Think, Top Jae-Ha, Top Soo-Won, Torture, Travel, True Love, Unfaithful to the original story, Violence, Wolf Pack, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-28
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:07:47
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24430315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElinaRoss/pseuds/ElinaRoss
Summary: "Lots of people, lots of dragons... born and died." the Ouryuu says with melancholy."But, what about you, Zeno ?" Jae-ha asks, curious about the eternal being standing in front of him."Well, that's another story..."
Relationships: Abi & Gu-En & Shu-Ten & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Abi & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Guen & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Hiryuu & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Jae-Ha & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Jae-Ha/Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Kija & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Shin-Ah & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Shu-Ten & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Son Hak & Zeno, Soo-Won/Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona), Yona & Zeno (Akatsuki no Yona)
Comments: 30
Kudos: 34
Collections: Akatsuki no Yona Big Bang Collection





	1. Chapter 1

**BEWARE**

This story is completely different from the original work. The relationships between the protagonists as well as the personality of some characters (Yona for exemple) have been entirely redesigned for this fanfiction. The four dragons's powers are also slightly different than the original ones.

For those who already know my style, you already know how dark and deep my stories can be. For the new readers, I hope you'll enjoy !

I will try to include drawings (made by me ^^) in some chapters. They may or may not have a direct meaning to the chapter. Those will probably be Zeno drawings, but other characters may also come up, we'll see !

Thank you for reading and commenting ! Love you all !

Before entering the real action, I want to inform you of the changes I did. Hope you won't be too angry at me for it !

** Zeno **

\- Zeno's childhood will be explored deeply, influencing the rest of the story.

\- When Shuten, Guen and Abi left Hiryuu Castle, Zeno still kept a strong relationship with the three other dragons.

\- When Zeno discovered the other generations of dragons, he took care of them. He brought them together and used to be their guardian.

\- Zeno and Jae-ha have a really strong bond (will be developped later).

\- The action begins just after the Happy Hungry Bunch met with Zeno. Yona already decided to leave the throne to Soo-Won and the team is currently wondering in the woods, fighting against injustice in villages/cities. (sorry for messing with the time line !)

\- Zeno can faint, feel sick or tired, it just won't ever kill him.

\- Zeno's yellow dragon powers are a bit different :

  * Immortal ageless body (same as in the original manga)
  * Turns to steel and gains the other dragons's powers when injured (same as in the original manga)
  * Healing power (will be explained)
  * Strong bond with the spirit world (will be explained)



** Yona **

\- Not Zeno friendly (will be explained)

\- Much more princess-like than in the original manga

\- Kind of rude because of her status sometimes

\- Can force the dragons to obey her because she's their master (except for Zeno who's first and only master was King Hiryuu)

**Jae-Ha**

\- Way more interested in Zeno than in the original manga

\- Really passionate about his fellow dragon warriors

\- So cute with Zeno your heart will melt

**Kija**

\- Bolder and more childish than in the original manga

\- Doesn't always think about the consequences his actions may have on others

** Shin-ha **

\- A real sweetheart (already is in the original manga)

\- A little bit more talkative

**Hak**

\- Compassionate with the dragon warriors (and not just with Yona)

\- Really cool and strong (but we all already know that)

**Yun**

\- No real changes

\- You could almost think him and Zeno are twins with how close they are

\- Strong relationship with Zeno (bestfriends !)


	2. Stop pressuring me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the first official chapter, Wooouuuhoou !
> 
> I wanted you to already be able to read the chapter but didn't have enough time to finish the fanart that goes with it so I'll be editing this part as soon as I'm done drawing !
> 
> Hope you enjoy this first chapter, please like, comment and of course... stay tuned !
> 
> Love you all !

"Come on, Zeno ! Just spit it out already !" Kija says seriously.

"I won't and it's no use pressuring me. I won't tell you what my power is." he answers calmly with a little smile.

"But why ? I mean you know all of our powers and we don't get to know yours ? That's not fair." Shin-ha adds.

"Well, that's just how it is. If I need to use it or that I think you should know about it, you'll be the firsts informed." Zeno replies warmly.

"Zeno, be reasonable. How can you expect us to trust you if you're not honest enough to even reveal us your power ?" Jae-ha continues. 

"It's not about being _reasonable_ or not, Ryokuryuu. My power isn't of any use for us right now and I sure hope I won't have to exploit it any time soon. It isn't something you should be concerned about." he tiredly says.

" _Gosh, I just wish they'd drop the topic by now..._ " Zeno thinks to himself.

"So you want us to just accept a random wanderer who claims to be the Yellow Dragon in our team ?" Kija accuses.

"I'm not _just_ some random wanderer and you know it. You all can feel the essence of the Yellow Dragon in me and that's all the proof you need for now." he defends himself.

"We sure would be stronger in battle if we comprehended all our assets." Hak adds.

"I said no, period. Stop pushing me, I won't show you my power." Zeno states coldly.

He's already so tired of them pressuring him about it. He already knows how they'll react to his power and it definitely isn't something he looks forward to.

"Alright, so as long as one of us doesn't use his power, maybe we should all do the same and let the Princess defend herself alone." Kija retorts, irritated.

"I told you, my power isn't of any use to Yona at the moment." Zeno sighs.

"Shin-ha, didn't you say that you could use your power to search through people's soul ?" Kija asks.

"Yeah, I can use it to look deeply in one's soul. Then their past, secrets and essence become crystal clear to me." he nods.

"Then why not use it on Zeno ? That way we'll be done with it." Kika suggests.

"No fucking way." Zeno says, dumbfounded.

"Oh don't be a pussy." Kija adds.

"I said no ! You won't force me to reveal my power, guys ! I'm really sorry if I'm being rude right now but that's simply unacceptable. You know I usually don't get angry but my power's really personnal and I don't want you to know about it, how complicated is that ?!" Zeno finally explodes.

"Wow, calm down, man. It's just a power." Hak says nonchalantly.

"It's not _just_ a power to me, Hak ! It's my whole life. None of you have any idea about what you're talking about so just back off !"

"Okay, fine !" Kija exclaims, clearly furious about the outcome.

"Yeah, _fine_ !" Zeno shouts, storming away from the fire.

The Yellow Dragon makes his way into the woods for some alone time, ranting. He stays there for a bit, calming himself down. He hears footsteps behind him and almost jumps in a defensive motion before recognizing the Green Dragon.

"Jae-Ha... You scared the hell out of me." he sighs.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." he replies, putting his hands up in a sign of surrender.

"It's fine. What are you doing here ?" Zeno asks softly.

Somehow, the Green Dragon's presence had always eased his tormented mind.

"I came to check on you. Are you okay ?" Jae-Ha answers, sitting next to his brother.

"Well, I'm still mad but not as angry as before." he admits.

"I'm glad then." 

"Thank you. For asking and for coming here." Zeno says, looking at his friend.

"Of course, you're my little dragon brother. I couldn't leave you alone after all we said." Jae-Ha replies with an apologetic smile.

"That's very considerate of you. But if you're here, does that mean that you changed your mind about discovering my power...?" Zeno asks carefully.

"Yeah, sorry to have pressured you like that. I know how our powers are a huge part of our being and it was wrong of us to push you that far. I completely get the personal component you talked about earlier." Jae-Ha admits.

Zeno looks at him with wide eyes. He hadn't realized how mature his Ryokuryuu already was and it shattered his heart.

"Thank you, Jae-Ha... I really appreciate it." he mumbles, blushing.

They stays silent for a while, just enjoying each other's warm presence. After a while, Zeno feels completely calm and decides that it is time for them to go back.

"Let's join the others, shall we ?" he smiles at Jae-Ha.

"Yeah, let's go." he grins back.

During this time, Kija was trying to convince Shin-Ha to use his power on Zeno without even asking for his opinion.

"He could try to hurt the Princess behind our back for all we know, Shin-Ha. We can't trust him unless we know for sure what his capacities are." he whispers at Shin-Ha's ear, trying to keep it secret.

"Why would he hurt Yona ? She's his master." he replies nervously.

"Maybe she's not even his real master ! He didn't feel anything when he saw her, remember ?"

"I don't know, Kija... I'm really not keen on using my power on someone who's not willing." he answers uncomfortably.

"I know, man. But this is a case of emergency."

"We could try and talk to him again, maybe ?" Shin-Ha still argues.

"You heard him, he _won't_ tell us. He seems pretty stubborn, even a bit childish if you want my opinion, I doubt he'll change his mind." Kija says.

"But still it seems... wrong." he replies.

"He doesn't leave us any choice, Shin-Ha. And it's our duty to make sure the Princess is surrounded by trustworthy warriors." Kija almost orders.

"Okay, then... If you're so sure." Shin-Ha finally gives in.

When Zeno and Jae-Ha arrive at the camp, Yona, Yun and Hak are still talking quietly by the fire.

"Hey guys, where are the others ?" Zeno asks innocently.

His blood freezes when he feels the claws of dragon arms wrapping around his body. Kija squeezes him strongly enough to cage him between his powerful arms.

  
"What the hell's going on ?!" Zeno almost yells, trying to break free.

"Kija, what are you doing ?!" Jae-Ha asks, completely confused.

"Don't try to fight, Zeno. This is for the best." Kija says coldly.

Shin-Ha walks quickly in front of Zeno's restricted body and places a hand on his cheek. Zeno immediatly understands what's happening and trashes in Kija's arms.

"No, Stop ! You have no idea about what's lingering in my soul, it is mine and mine alone !" Zeno yells.

"Wha..What's going on ?!" Jae-Ha asks, unaware of the severity of the situation.

"Stop moving, Zeno ! You'll just make it worse if you keep fighting !" Kija shouts.

But Zeno doesn't stop struggling and screaming to let him go.

" _Please_ , Shin-Ha, don't do that ! I'm begging you !" he cries out.

Shin-Ha lowers his head before taking his mask off.

"I'm really sorry, Zeno..." he whispers before looking intensely into Zeno's blue eyes.

The Yellow Dragon suddenly stops trashing, his fragile body falling limply in the White Dragon's grip. He grabs his head in his hand before shouting the most heartbreaking scream anyone had ever heard.

"Aaaaaaaaaah !" he screeches.

"Zeno !" Jae-Ha yells, running towards his screaming friend.

Shin-Ha falls silently on the floor, eyes still wide open and glowing with power. Zeno continues shouting, so violently that even heaven can hear him. His cry is so pained, so rough that it seems like his limbs are being torn apart one after another.

Kija suddenly lets go of the small boy in horror, not expecting this kind of effect at all. Everybody is now gathered around the two agonizing dragons and Jae-Ha grabs Zeno before his collapsing body can touch the ground.

"Zeno, Zeno ! Kija, what the fuck's going on ?! What did you do to him ?!" Jae-Ha yells at the frightened White Dragon.

"I..I don't know, I just asked Shin-Ha to look into his soul with his power... I didn't mean for this to happen." Kija tries to explain, completely panicked.

"Aaaaaaaaaah !" Zeno continues screaming.

"Shin-Ha won't come back to his senses either, what's happening to them ?!" Yun asks worriedly.

But soon, Zeno's cries slowly lose their intensity.

"Zeno ? Zeno, answer me, please !" Jae-Ha tries, still worriedly hugging his friend.

"Look ! Shin-Ha's eyes stopped glowing !" Yona exclaims.

They all look at the Blue Dragon, expecting him to wake up and explain but he just falls in an unexpected sleep.

Zeno slowly calms down, only whimping from time to time before fainting completely.

"Zeno... Gosh, what did he do to you...?" Jae-Ha whispers, hugging the Yellow Dragon even tighter.

After a few minutes in tense silence, Jae-Ha turns to Kija.

"Why the fuck did you do that ?! He said he didn't want us to know about his power and even less to search his soul for answers !" he explodes.

"I just wanted to know... We can't trust him if he's not honest with us first !" Kija tries to defend himself.

"We don't need proof of his loyalty, idiot ! He's the fucking Ouryuu ! And now you asked one of us to hurt his brother severly !"

"He'll be fine, don't worry. I'm sure that with a bit of rest..." but he's cut roughly by his fellow dragon warrior.

"You really _don't_ get it, do you ?! I'm not talking about physical harm but about the emotional scar being attacked by his own brother will do to him ! A dragon warrior hurting another dragon warrior is the most unnatural thing !" Jae-Ha yelled at him.

"But we _had_ to do it, he wouldn't tell us !" Kija retorts.

"And so what if he doesn't tell us ?! He's one of us, he'd never betray his own dragon blood and even less hurt someone we care about !"

"I can't trust him unless I know." Kija says coldly.

"And what about _his_ trust ?! Did you stop just for one second to think about what a great proof of trust attacking him actually is ?! If you think that he'll ever trust you after betraying him like that and forcing his brother to search his soul, you're the most oblivious fool I've ever seen !" Jae-Ha says, grabbing Zeno bridal style and taking him to the tent.

The others take Shin-Ha to the other tent and wait for him to wake up. No one dares to even try to see Zeno, Jae-Ha is guarding him loyally and they're pretty sure that if they as much as approach their tent, the Ryokuryuu could really hurt them. 

After what feels like hours for Jae-Ha, Zeno begins to trash in his sleep.

"Zeno ? Zeno... It's me, you're okay, no one will hurt you here." Jae-Ha whispers soflty, stroking his hand warmly.

But the Yellow Dragon doesn't calm down and begins screaming in his sleep. Jae-Ha tries to wake him up but doesn't succeed. The only thing he can do is call his name and try to soothe him.

"Zeno, wake up... Zeno !"

The fragile boy opens his eyes suddenly, completely frightened. Before completely waking up, he looks at Jae-Ha's face and whispers.

"S..Shuten...?" 

" _What_...?" Jae-Ha mumbles, confused.

Zeno's eyes focus a bit more and he suddenly comes back to his senses.

"Zeno ? Are you okay ? You were just screaming..." Jae-Ha asks worriedly.

"I...I'm okay. Sorry, it was just a nightmare." he apologizes, straightening himself in a sitting position and rubbing his head.

"It's okay bud, how are you feeling ?" Jae-Ha says.

"Don't worry about me, Jae-Ha. What happened ? Oh...I guess I fainted in the end. Sorry, I didn't mean to make a scene earlier." 

"Gosh, Zeno. You have _nothing_ to apologize for. I don't know how Shin-Ha could agree with Kija's plan and I'm really sorry they attacked you like that." 

"It's okay, they're just young and curious. But I really didn't think they'd go that far..." Zeno says, picking his stuff and getting up.

"Wow, Zeno. Where are you going ? You shouldn't be moving around too much, you're still very pale." Jae-Ha worries.

"I'm fine, thank you Jae-Ha. And thank you for watching over me." Zeno replies warmly.

"Of course, your my little dragon brother. Where are you going like that ?"

"I'm apparently not wanted in this group, I'm leaving before Shin-Hak wakes up." Zeno says coldly.

" _What_ ? Where are you going ? Do you know how long it will take Shin-Ha to wake up ?" Jae-Ha asks him desperately, getting up to and following the Yellow Dragon out of the tent.

"He'll be fine, his young mind is still processing what he just saw. He'll wake up in a few hours." Zeno goes on.

"Zeno, please stop." Jae-Ha says, grabbing his friend's hand.

The Ouryuu finally comes to a stop and looks at him.

" _What_ ?" he questions tiredly.

"Please don't leave. I know they went too far but we don't want you to go."

The Yellow Dragon just stands there, completely silent.

"Hum... when you woke up from your nightmare, do you remember what you said...?" Jae-Ha asks nervously.

Zeno just looks at him, not answering anything.

"You called me _Shuten_ , Zeno..."

"I don't know what you're ta..." he tries but Jae-Ha cuts him.

"Please. Shuten was the first Green Dragon warrior, the one from the legends. Why did you..." but now it's Zeno's turn to interrupt him.

"That's none of your damn business, Ryokuryuu." he snaps at him with eyes as cold as death.

"Zeno... Don't be like that, I'm just trying to understand. You're so full of mystery and somehow so much sadness... I just wanna help." 

"Yeah, just like Kija and Shin-Ha helped. Thank you but I'll pass." Zeno replies sharply.

"You know I have nothing to do with their attack, I was with you all along." Jae-Ha desperately tries.

"I don't give a damn about if you were with them or not, Jae-Ha. I just want all of you to leave me alone now. It was wrong of me to assume I could travel with you like that." Zeno sighs, freeing himself from the Green Dragon's grip.

"Please, Zeno. Don't push me away. I know you have some things you'd rather keep to yourself but don't be a stranger, Ouryuu. We care about you, _I_ care about you. _A lot_." Jae-Ha says sincerely, caressing the Yellow Dragon's soft hand.

Zeno doesn't speak for a few seconds and finally closes his eyes. It seems like he's fighting with himself on weither or not he should let himself be vulnerable in front of the current Ryokuryuu.

"Okay, fine... I'll explain everything. But not here, not now. I want to make it right, in front of everybody." he finally concedes, brushing past his dragon necklace.

"Thank you, Zeno. It means a lot." Jae-Ha answers with a little warm smile.

"Don't thank me yet, you have no idea what you just got yourself into..." Zeno adds, going back in the tent to finish packing his stuff.

"Are you still leaving ?" Jae-Ha asks worriedly.

"Yeah, but you all should also get ready." 

"Were are you taking us ?" he adds with curiousity.

Zeno stops packing and grabs his necklace before speaking again.

" _The Shinto Shrine_." the Ouryuu answers, looking at his dragon necklace with great melancholy.


	3. Confrontation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everybody !
> 
> I just want to clarify the different names I use for each dragon :
> 
> \- Ouryuu : Zeno  
> \- Ryokuryuu : Jae-Ha  
> \- Seiryuu : Shin-Ah  
> \- Hakuryuu : Kija
> 
> Those are their dragon's names. I thought that you all would be pretty familiar with it since you might already know Akatsuki no Yona but here's a little reminder anyway:)
> 
> Thank you all for reading and commenting !

"The Shinto Shrine ? Why are we going there, Zeno ?" Jae-Ha asks, curious.

"The Shrine is the only place where the voice of Heaven can be heard. You're all asking for the truth and for trustworthy proofs, this is where you'll find them." Zeno answers calmly.

Ever since the Yellow Dragon has talked about the Shinto Shrine, his eyes have been tainted with sadness and melancholy but Jae-Ha still doesn't understand the real cause of this sudden grief.

Zeno and Jae-Ha walk out of the tent together, heading for Shin-Ah and the other's tent. When they arrive in front of the closed curtain, Zeno stops for a few seconds, taking deep breaths.

"Zeno, are you okay ?" Jae-Ha asks worriedly.

"I'm fine, just need to think for a second. Pull myself together." he answers, his eyes still closed.

A few more seconds and the Ouryuu enters the tent, earning the worried and startled looks of his friends inside the tent.

"Z...Zeno ?" Kija whispers nervously.

But he doesn't even bother looking at the White Dragon and walks slowly towards Shin-Ah's bed. He looks at him with great melancholy but still kneels in front of his sleeping body.

Zeno stays on Shin-Ah's side for a few seconds, closing his eyes again and focusing. Somehow, the two other dragons begin feeling a distant powerful aura emanating from Zeno. It becomes stronger and stronger before completely overwhelming them.

"Z...Zeno ? What's this sudden energy...?" Jae-Ha asks in awe.

Zeno, invisibly glowing with immense solar power, looks at him with wise warm eyes.

"Nothing that wasn't already there before, Ryokuryuu." he answers softly.

Kija is torn between submitting to this incredible heavenly force or running away in panic. This huge aura surrounds him whole and the dominance of its strengh frightens him to the core. He's never felt something so powerful and yet he feels in his heart that this aura won't hurt him. 

"Don't be afraid, Kija. Everything's fine." Zeno states.

The Yellow Dragon turns back to Shin-Ah, contempling his sleeping face.

"You shouldn't have used your power on me, Seiryuu." the Yellow Dragon sighs.

"You were wrong to force me but no one should have to endure the weight of my soul and past. Especially a young innocent spirit like yours..." he goes on softly, his eyes full of regrets and sadness.

Zeno slowly raises his right hand and places it on Shin-Ah's closed eyes. He closes his own eyes and suddenly his hand begins glowing a beautiful warm blue, exactly the same as his eyes.

Jae-Ha, Kija, Yun, Yona and Hak are all amazed by this warm reassuring glow and silently witness one of the many faces of the Ouryuu's power.

"I forgive you and release you from the burden of roaming my endless soul." Zeno murmurs.

" _Roaming his endless soul ? What is he talking about ?_ " Jae-Ha wonders worriedly.

"Wake up, Seiryuu." Zeno says, his authority weighting on everyone in the tent.

All eyes are now on Shin-Ah, all waiting for Zeno's power to prove itself real or not. To their estonishment, Shin-Ah naturally opens his eyes. He looks straight in front of him, not aknowledging the others.

"Shin-Ah ! Thank God you're finally awake !" Kija suddenly breaks the silence. 

Everybody hurries by Shin-Ah's side, asking him how he feels, what happened, etc. Well, everybody except for Jae-Ha who's eyes are glued to Zeno's still frame.

Zeno eyes the little relieved group without smiling, almost on the verge of tears. 

Jae-Ha doesn't understand. Why has Zeno been so sad since Shin-Ah read his soul ? What could be so earthshattering that their ever cheerful boy would suddenly become such a sad mess...?

  
The Yellow Dragon makes a small eye contact with Shin-Ah. The latter tries to say something but Zeno just nods, already knowing what's in his friend's mind. He gives him a little sad smile of reassurance before leaving the tent without anybody else noticing.

But of course, Jae-Ha follows the small boy outside, worried about him.

"Zeno, wait." he calls him.

The Yellow Dragon turns back, looking tiredly at his friend.

"What is it, Jae-Ha ?"

"Hum...Your power's amazing, Zeno. You should be proud of it." he mumbles, blushing.

Jae-Ha is suddenly very embarassed. Why did he really follow him outside ? He can't just say _Hey you seem sad, what's wrong?_ , can he ? And he isn't ready to just openly worry about this young man in front of him without any reason.

Zeno has a little smile when he responds.

"Glad you enjoyed it. We'll see if you're still as enthousiastic when you know about my whole power."

Jae-Ha is about to respond but suddenly Shin-Ah storms out of the tent, everybody following behind and worrying about him already getting out of bed.

He stands in front of Zeno, maskless, without saying a word. Zeno stays still too, not moving an inch and looking straight into Shin-Ah's powerful eyes. 

Nobody dares to say anything, the moment between those two dragons seems out of time and almost sacred. Before Yona can interrupt their everlasting silence, Shin-Ah begins sniffing and sobbing.

All eyes turn on him alone and Shin-Ah breaks in tears.

"Z...Zeno... Our..yuu" he whimpers almost like a child.

Zeno doesn't move for a few seconds, just looks down. After a while, he finally gives in and hugs the crying boy.

"It's okay, Seiryuu. Don't worry about it." he reassures him.

"B..But, Zeno... I'm sorry, I d..don't want you to h..hate me..." he still whimpers, unable to prevent hot tears from streaming down his marked cheeks.

"I don't hate you, Shin-Ah. I'll _never_ hate you. I love you and nothing you can do will ever change that fact." Zeno smiles warmly, wiping a tear away from his friend's face.

"But you're a..already suffering so much... How could I do t..that to you..." Shin-Ah can't stop sobbing.

"Stop, Seiryuu... I'm fine, you didn't do anything bad, no need to blame yourself." Zeno replies, still hugging the crying boy.

Jae-Ha, already worrying about Zeno all the time, doesn't let this slip out of his mind.

" _Already suffering so much ? What could hurt our young joyful dragon this much that even Shin-Ah is worrying about him...?_ " he wonders.

"I...I'm s..so sorry O..Ouryuu..." Shin-Ah goes on.

"Shhh... I'm okay, I'm safe, don't worry about me. We're all together now, that's all that matters." he whispers with sad eyes.

  
It takes a few minutes but the Blue Dragon finally calms down. Kija thinks this is a good time to begin asking questions.

"Why wouldn't Zeno be okay, Shin-Ah ? What did you see, what's his power ?" Kija tries to step in and searches for answers.  
Shin-Ah then looks up and shoots his friend the most frightening cold glare.

"When will you realize it's none of your fucking business, Kija ?! Don't you think you've already done enough ?!" Jae-Ha immediately stops him.

"You shouldn't be so inquisitive, Hakuryuu. Sometimes, you just have to accept that certain things are way beyond what you alone can comprehend." Shin-Ah says coldly.

"What ? Come on, at least we didn't do it for nothing, just tell me already." 

Zeno, completely silent, is almost boiling in anger in the back. He tries really hard not to burst out in rage.

"This matter is not mine to reveal." Shin-Ah states softly, looking at Zeno.

Kija looks at him too, exploding in curiousity.

"Zeno, don't you think it's high time fore you to tell us ?! After everything Shin-Ah has been through because of you, you could at least reveal yourself now !" he says angrily.

"Don't talk to him like that, Kija. You were the one who asked Shin-Ah to use his power against his own brother." Yun steps in.

He has always thought that dragon matters should stay between dragons but his friend is taking things way too far and he can't let Zeno be bullied like that just because of his selfish childish curiousity.

"Oh so now you care, Yun ?!" Kija retorts.

"Yes, I do and maybe you should start caring about his feelings too !" he replies.

"Just drop it, Yun ! This is between the four dragons." Kija says.

"Oh, so I guess Yona, Hak and I don't have anything to say in the matter ?!" 

"Well, Yona does." Kija admits.

"So, Yona. What do you think ?" Yun asks his friend.

All eyes turn to her.

"Hum... I think Zeno should tell us what he really is capable of. If he has to protect me, I'd like to know how." she explains softly but with authority.

"See, Zeno ? Even Yona wants you to show us your power !" Kija says in excitement.

"Weither she wants it or not, I'm not gonna change my mind." Zeno states coldly.

"What ?! She's your master and you will do as she asks !"

"It's not because she's a Princess that she can order us around like we're her slaves." Zeno retorts.

Yona looks down, embarassed, but doesn't say anything.

"She's your freaking master, Zeno. You _have_ to obey her." the White Dragon goes on.

"She's not." Zeno whispers.

"What did you just say ?!" Kija continues.

"She's not my freaking master !" Zeno speaks louder, angrily.

At that, everybody shuts up. Of course, except for Kija.

"What the fuck ?! How come she's not your master ?! She certainly is ours ! See, guys ? That's exactly like I said earlier ! He's not really one of us, he isn't even loyal to the Princess !"

"Hum... Zeno, what do you mean by _not your master_...?" Jae-Ha asks nervously.

"I mean exactly what I said. I didn't make oath of allegance to her and won't in the future. The Ouryuu only has one master and this person isn't Princess Yona." Zeno explains calmly.

"But then... who is it ?" Hak questions, curious now.

At that, vivid memories of King Hiryuu flash through Zeno's mind, leaving him with a void in the heart so deep that even his endless tears can't fill it.

"He isn't of our world anymore." Zeno answers, eyes full of melancholy and grief.

"Oh that's just great ! Now we're here, travelling with some stranger who isn't even loyal to Princess Yona but to some dead guy nobody knows about ! And he won't even show us his power !" Kija comes back on topic.

"Don't talk about him this way, Hakuryuu." he replies threateningly.

"Or what ? I bet you won't do a thing, Zeno ! If you're not willing to use your power, I wonder how your threats can be of any concequence !" Kija adds.

"Just fucking stop, Kija !" Jae-Ha steps in before Zeno can explode in rage but it was already too late.

"What the fuck is wrong with you ?! I'm your dragon brother and yet you don't respect me or my privacy for one bit !" Zeno says angrily.

"I don't _know_ you, why would I respect you ?! For all I know you're just some random dude keeping tons of secrets !" Kija replies.

"And did you wonder maybe why they are secrets ?! You didn't even imagine that I won't show you my power because it hurts too much ! You have no fucking idea about what I went through because of this power !" he explodes.

"We've all been through a lot because of our power !" Kija answers.

"That's enough, I'm out. Good luck with your journey." Zeno storms out.

"No, wait Zeno !" Jae-Ha tries to reach him.

"No, Jae-Ha ! I'm not staying this time ! Not after being accused, attacked and now insulted by a selfish immature dragon who's just too curious for his own good !"

Zeno snaps back.

"But.."

"No buts ! I tried _really_ hard with all of you to be your friend and to bear with his insolent attitude but it's not worth it ! To think I was about to take you all to the

Shinto Shrine, what a fool I am ! I won't take this opportunistic child to sacred grounds !" he shouts.

"Well, if you're so unhappy, just go ! We don't need a powerless dragon like you anyway." Kija says.

"Shut up, Kija." Shin-Ah says, walking behind Zeno and grabbing his hand.

"Don't, Shin-Ah. I won't change my mind. He went to far..." Zeno tells him softly.

"We need you, Ouryuu. The Gods want us all to stick together and you know it." he replies.

"Well, I haven't really been in the Gods good papers in the past." Zeno says coldly.

"Please, Zeno. I know we all hurt you and especially this idiot, but I really want you to stay. We've lived apart for way too long..." Shin-Ah adds.

Zeno looks at him silently and sighs before Shin-Ah goes on.

"Do you _want_ to be alone, Zeno ?" he asks sadly and with compassion.

Zeno is taken aback by this question. He didn't expect Shin-Ah to point exactly at his insecurities like that. But he's right.

"I don't. I _really_ don't want to be alone, Seiryuu. I've waited for you for so long..." Zeno replies sadly. 

A silent unique tear falls from his eye.

"But Kija doesn't trust me and wants me to leave, Shin-Ah." he says even more sadly.

"He doesn't understand what's happening and what a great honor your presence among us really is, Ouryuu. Give him another chance, our time all together is limited and you know it." Shin-Ah adds.

Zeno looks down and then at Kija. He turns to the whole group before speaking up.

"You're right. I'll stay, but you all have to come with me to the Shinto Shrine first thing in the morning. Everything will be revealed on those sacred grounds." 

  
He looks at Kija and sighs before walking to the fire. Everybody stays still and Shin-Ah walks quickly towards Kija.

"You make one remark, one comment about his power again and he's not the one who'll be leaving." he threatens.

"What are you talking about ? I'm not the enemy here." Kija answers, irritated.

"I think you don't realize how sacred and mighty the Ouryuu is, but let me tell you one thing ; you talk to him the way you did earlier once more and even the Gods won't be able to forgive you, Hakuryuu." 

"What's so special about him ?" 

"Everything, Kija. _Everything_ is special about him ! You have no idea about his past and trust me, none of our sad childhood story can compare." Shin-Ah says intensely.

"Well, even if he's been through a lot, if his power isn't strong and that he can't fight with us on the field, of what use is he to us ?" Kija asks.

"Gosh, Kija. Just... Don't push him." Shin-Ah sighs.

"It's not like he could injure me, he's harmless against my dragon arm." Kija adds proudly.

Shin-Ah laughs a bit.

"What's so funny ?" 

"You're way over your head, Kija. Zeno could kill all of us without even a scratch if he wanted. You have no idea who you're up against." he says, turning towards the fire and walking to Zeno.

  
"I'm sorry about Kija, Zeno. He doesn't really mean his rude words, he has no idea how this situation really hurts your feelings." Shin-Ah says, sitting next to his dragon friend by the fire.

"I know, Shin-Ah. I wish I could explain it all to him, but it has become so complicated that unless another Hakuryuu explains it to him, he won't believe me." Zeno answers.

"Is that why you're taking us to the Shinto Shrine ? To talk to the previous Hakuryuu." Shin-Ah asks with excitement.

"Ahaha ! If it could only be the previous Hakuryuu ! We're gonna see all of the previous dragons tomorrow." he explains with a little laugh.

"I didn't know it was even possible." Shin-Ah says with a smile.

"Only the Ouryuu has the power to open the sacred doors that lead to the Hiryuu sanctuary. All the other dragons's spirit await there." Zeno tells him.

"Well, I can't wait." he replies, still smiling.

Suddenly, his smile leaves his face and he looks at Zeno intensely.

"I'm also sorry I hurt you, Zeno. I shouldn't have forced my power on you." he says seriously.

"No, you shouldn't have. But what's done is done, right? I didn't want you to see all that, nor did I want to be reminded of my tragic past." Zeno answers sadly.

"You relived it all ? I didn't know my power had this effect on the people I use it on." Shin-Ah adds.

"Yeah, everything just flashed in front of my eyes. Not a really pleasant display..." 

"I'm sorry, I get it now." Shin-Ah tells him.

"You're already forgiven, Shin-Ah. But I just want you to promise me not to use your soul reading power on me _ever_ again. With other people it may be okay because they don't have as much background as I do but if I have to relive my past once again, it'll drive me crazy for sure..." Zeno asks him sadly.

"I promise you I won't use my soul reading power on you ever again, Ouryuu." Shin-Ah swears to him.

"Thank you, Seiryuu." he replies softly.

"No, thank _you_ for staying with us."

"It's all right, don't worry about it." Zeno smiles at him.

They stay in silence for a little bit before Jae-Ha joins them.

"Hey, guys. May I join you ?" he asks nervously.

"Of course, Jae-Ha." Zeno replies warmly.

"Hum... I'm sorry ab..." Jae-Ha tries but is cut by his friend.

"It's okay, Jae-Ha. Please stop apologizing. I also went too far and what I said to you was really rude, please forgive me." Zeno asks.

"Of course, Zeno." he answers with a little smile.

Jae-Ha understands immediately that everything's okay between them now and he's really relieved that Zeno has calmed down.

The three dragons stay by the fire for most of the night. Around midnight, Jae-Ha and Shin-Ah go to bed, leaving Zeno alone by the fire.

The Yellow Dragon stays there all night, thinking about the past. Silent tears occasionally stream down his devastated face and fall on the floor sadly. 

  
When morning comes, Zeno is still by the fire on his own. He has calmed down, now being an expert in the art of hiding his real emotions from his friends.

"Zeno...? Did you stay here all night ?" Jae-Ha asks, walking out of his tent.

"Yeah, had a lot to think about." Zeno answers surprisingly honestly.

"Are you okay, though ?" 

"Yeah, I'm fine don't worry. Go finish packing your stuff, we're leaving in half an hour." Zeno instructs joyully.

After everybody has packed, they head to the Shinto Shrine.

"How far is it, Zeno ?" Yun asks him.

"It's about three hours away, we should he there around noon." he answers calmly but is interrupted by a sudden scream.

The boys turn to see what's happening and they're met with the awful sight of Kija, on the floor, covered in blood. An enormous bear stands behind him, growling.

"Kija !" Jae-Ha yells.

Thanks to the amazing warrior Hak is, he's on the bear a few seconds later, piercing his heart with his sword. The bear's body falls to the floor as everybody runs towards Kija.

"Oh my God, Kija ! Are you okay ?!" Shin-Ah asks worriedly.

"H...He injured my shoulder..." he mumbles, holding his bloody arm.

"Lay down, we'll stop the bleeding and bandage your shoulder." Yona instructs.

Yun and Zeno watch silently as they lower the White Dragon's body on the floor and start working on his injury.

Zeno walks slowly towards the little group and sits beside Kija.

"I'm gonna show you my power now, Hakuryuu." he whispers seriously.

"W..What ? Now really isn't a good time, Zeno !" he answers, hurting really bad.

"I told you I'd use it if I had to and you desperately need it right now." Zeno adds, placing both his hands on his friend's injured shoulder.

"What a...are you doing ?" Kija grinds between his teeth.

"It's gonna be okay, Kija. Trust me." he replies softly.

Suddenly, the three other dragons feel the same aura as the day before emanating from Zeno. His hands begin glowing and Kija feels his pain going away. The wound slowly closes itself, almost magically.

After a few minutes, Zeno's hands stop glowing and he takes them away, showing Kija's completely healed shoulder.

They all look at the Yellow Dragon with amazement. Did he just... _heal_ Kija ?

"How do you feel, Hakuryuu?" Zeno asks quietly.

"I...I feel fine, it doesn't hurt anymore. What did you do, Zeno ?" he mumbles, looking at him with wide astonished eyes.

"I healed your shoulder. That is one of my power." Zeno answers with a little smile.

Kija straighten himself and touches his shoulder, witnessing its complete recovery. He looks up at Zeno, feeling really bad for the way he behaved until now.

"Zeno..." he whispers.

"I'm glad you're feeling better, let's get going then, shall we ?" the Yellow Dragon adds before standing up.

But as soon as he gets on his feet, Zeno feels really light-headed and falls back, almost fainting. Jae-Ha grabs him before he hurts himself.

"Zeno ! Are you okay ?" he asks worriedly.

"S...Sorry, this power requires a lot of energy. I just have to rest for a bit and I'll be okay." Zeno answers, putting a hand on his throbing head.

Jae-Ha leads him to the nearest rock, sitting with him. 

"Take all the time you need." he says softly.

Everybody's still looking at Zeno with their mouth wide open. The walk to him, forming a little crowd around him.

"Don't pressure him, guys." Jae-Ha says softly, still looking at his weak friend.

"It's fine, Jae-Ha. I'm sure you all have tons of questions." Zeno replies.

Kija is the first.

"So, you have healing abilities, Zeno ?" he asks.

"Yeah, that's one of the Ouryuu power." 

"But then, why didn't you want to show us ? It's really helpful and it'll make an huge difference in the battlefield." he adds.

"I didn't want you to know about my _whole_ power. Compared to the other aspects of the Ouryuu's abilities, the healing process is a fine one, I guess." Zeno answers.

"But can you heal anybody or just the three other dragons ?" Yun asks then.

"As long as they're not already on deathbed, I can possibly heal anybody." 

"That's simply amazing." Kija whispers.

"Yeah, that's really great but what are the concequences for you, Zeno ?" Jae-Ha asks worriedly.

"Well, as you saw, it takes me a tremendous amount of energy to heal someone. Right now it was only a shoulder injury and yet I'm worn out. So, for actual serious injuries, it really drains me." Zeno explains.

"So, this isn't a power that we should abuse." Yun adds seriously.

"What happens if you use it too much, Zeno ?" Yona asks, curious.

"Well, I always have enough energy available ; that's linked to my other power. But I'm be completely exhausted and in the end, it starts hurting very much." 

"Why does it start hurting ?" Hak questions.

"Because when I don't have any energy left to put into the injury, then I begin taking the pain in myself. It's like transfering the person's injury from its body to mine." he answers honestly.

"So you end up being the injured one ?" Jae-Ha asks worriedly.

"Yeah, but it's okay though. My other power takes it from there." Zeno replies mysteriously.

"So you're saying that we can use you to endlessly heal everybody, all the time ? That's really great." Yona adds.

"If _needed_ , then yes that's possible." Zeno answers coldly.

"That's absolutely out of question. We're not hurting Zeno so that the other ones can continue fighting and getting even more injured and going back to Zeno to get healed again, etc." Jae-Ha states, worrying about how selfless their young blonde boy actually is.

"You talked about another power ? What is it ?" Kija grows even more curious.

"Don't push your luck, Kija. You'll discover everything in a little bit." Zeno says, getting up again.

Jae-Ha helps him on his feet and support his body to be sure he doesn't lose his balance.

"Thank you, Jae-Ha. I'm better now, we can go." Zeno tells them with a little smile.

  
As they resume their journey, Zeno and Jae-Ha are cheerfully chatting in the front. After a while, Kija runs up to their level.

"Hum, Jae-Ha ? Would you mind giving me a moment with Zeno...?" he asks nervously.

The two other dragons look at him, curious.

"Well, as long as you promise me you won't try to force him to tell you about his other power, I don't mind." 

"I won't." he answers.

"Okay, then." Jae-Ha says, going back to walk with Hak and the others.

Zeno continues walking in silence as if he's alone. He knows why Kija comes to him and wants him to speak up first.

"Hum, so, Zeno... I wanted to talk to you because I think I need to apologize to you..." Kija whispers nervously.

"What ? Sorry, I didn't hear." Zeno feigns, wanting his friend to be more honest and open with him.

"I said I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked Shin-Ah to look in your soul and I shouldn't have pushed you the way I did. So, I'm truely sorry for behaving like such a dork." Kija admits.

Zeno doesn't reply at first and just looks at him with a smile.

"Well, you sure went too far and really hurt my feelings." Zeno answers.

Kija looks down, ashamed of himself.

"But you're also very young and bold. All the Hakuryuu are, it's okay." Zeno adds with a little warm smile.

"All the Hakuryuu ?" Kija asks, not understanding.

But Zeno doesn't answer, he just winks at his dragon friend.

They walk for two more hours before arriving in front of a little abandonned shrine.

"Hum, are you sure it's here, Zeno ? It's only rubble..." Kija wonders.

"Yeah, maybe you got the wrong location." Yun suggests.

But the dragons can clearly feel a very strong energy behind those walls.

"I feel this is a sacred site, but I don't know, it's a weird feeling... Like the power is here but very distant at the same time." Shin-Ah adds.

Zeno turns his back to the shrine, looking at them. He smiles warmly before focusing and closing his eyes.

His immense aura comes back once again and this time, he begins actually glowing. A strong, wise light surrounds them whole and when they all open their eyes again, they're met with an unexpected tremendous Shrine.

"What ?!" Jae-Ha says, completely dumb-founded.

They all look at this luxurous solemn Shrine, not believing their eyes.

"Guys, am I dreaming or what ?!" Yun exclaims.

"But it was just a ruined little shrine a few seconds ago ! What in hell happened ?!" Kija says.

Shin-Ah turns to look at Zeno.

"Zeno, did you just...?" he asks in awe.

"The sacred Shrine can only be revealed by the Ouryuu." he explains seriously.

Zeno looks back at the Shrine with an immense feeling of melancholy.

"It's been so long since I've come here... But I'm finally home. Abi, Shuten, Guen." he whispers.


	4. Hiryuu Sanctuary

"I'm finally home. Abi, Shuten, Guen." Zeno whispers.

"What do you mean, _Abi, Shuten, Guen_ ?" Kija asks.

"Aren't they the legendary first generation of dragons ?" Jae-Ha remarks.

"They are." Zeno smiles with melancholy.

"Can you maybe, I don't know... talk to them ? Is that why we're here ?" Kija adds.

"You'll discover everything in a matter of minutes, Hakuryuu." Zeno answers seriously.

He walks slowly through the immense shrine corridors, as if he knew the way by heart.

"You've been here often, Zeno ?" Yun breaks the silence.

"I've actually been raised here." he answers softly.

"Here ?! So there was someone here before ? I don't understand, you said that only the Ouryuu could reveal those sacred grounds. How could a whole village live here?" Kija asks.

"I know it's confusing but at the time, anybody could enter the shrine. You see, I was raised by monks who were extremely respectful to the earth and for us, all grounds were sacred." Zeno explains.

"So, you were raised by monks, here ?" Yun adds, still confused.

"Exactly." he answers with a huge smile.

"But I thought that this was the Hiryuu Sanctuary. I didn't know that the Hiryuu lineage agreed to let people live here." Hak joins them.

" _King Hiryuu wasn't even born when my people settled here. They were killed because of me and when King Hiryuu died, I built his sacred shrine on my village's ruin to honor their death._ " Zeno wants to say, but it would confuse them even more.

"The Hiryuu legacy has nothing to do with this place. You know, this shrine would have really pleased King Hiryuu. I'm sure he would have been delighted if he had seen this place. He always liked it when all the dragons gathered together after all." he laughs a bit.

"I'm sorry, Zeno, but you're not making any sense right now..." Jae-Ha tells him.

"Nevermind..." he sighs, still walking towards a huge building.

  
When they arrive in front of two enormous closed doors, Zeno turns to the little group.

"I'm really sorry Yun, Hak and Yona but this is where we leave you three." he says.

"Why ? We can't come with you ?" Yona asks angrily.

"Only sacred beings such as us dragons can enter this precise place."

"Come on, nobody will know." Yun laughs a bit.

"No human is to enter the dragon's sacred grounds, those are the God's wishes." Zeno tells them seriously.

They look at him curiously, they had rarely seen this serious traditionnal side of the Yellow Dragon.

"O..Okay..." Yun answers nervously.

"We'll wait for you here." Hak adds.

"You can wander around the shrine and explore every building if you want." Zeno instructs, back to his smiling self.

"There's plenty to see, let's go." Hak replies, leading Yona and Yun away.

"Thank you for your tolerance." Zeno bows before turning and facing the closed doors.

  
He sighs heavily and closes his eyes.

"You okay, Zeno ?" Jae-Ha asks in worry.

"Yeah, it's just been a really long time since I've come here and it brings a few memories back." he smiles warmly.

Shin-Ah eyes him worriedly too. He places a soft reassuring hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Everything's gonna be okay, Ouryuu." he says.

Zeno looks at him with sad eyes and nods. He places his hands on the doors and pushes them.

"Where are you bringing us, Zeno ?" Kija asks seriously.

"I can feel powerful auras coming from those halls." Jae-Ha adds.

"This place is filled with all the previous dragon's energy. Don't worry, they won't harm you." Zeno explains.

They walk through amazing corridors before arriving in front of a huge hole in the wall. The facade is covered in vegetation, apparently left untouched for centuries.

"Plants grow easily here, I guess the shrine itself gives them energy." Shin-Ah comments.

"Yeah, I never could bring myself to cut them. This is their home as much as it is mine." Zeno says.

Jae-Ha, Kija and Shin-Ah are about to cross the hole when they notice that Zeno isn't following anymore.

Jae-Ha turns and sees Zeno standing in the hallway, smiling sadly.

"What's going on?" he asks softly.

"Come here, you three." the Yellow Dragon only answers.

They approach the blonde nervously.

"Before you enter this place, I have a few things I want to explain." he says.

"What is it ?" Kija asks.

"You're about to go through that hole and walk down the stairs. There you'll find a natural underground water source and in its middle stands a sacred tree. Once you find it, please step in the water and relax. You'll feel all sorts of auras and spirits surrounding you, those are the dragon's souls."

"The dragon's souls ?" Jae-Ha whispers.

"Yes, all the previous dragon's spirits are gathered in this place and will come to meet you." Zeno goes on.

"That's amazing." Kija adds.

"You can ask them anything you want to know." Zeno says.

"You won't be there with us...?" Jae-Ha worries.

"No, it requires me a great amount of energy to enable you three to enter this place and contact the dragon's spirits. I will be here, meditating." he explains.

But Shin-Ah knows better.

"Ouryuu..." he tries but is cut by his friend.

"And... I do not wish to be present when you discover the truth about my powers and my past." Zeno whispers sadly.

"We won't judge you, Zeno." Jae-Ha argues.

"It's not a matter of judgment, Ryokuryuu... You'll understand when the dragon's souls tell you about it." 

"Will you wait for us here ?" Kija then asks.

"I will. And when you come back, I'll answer all the questions you'll surely have." Zeno answers with a little smile.

"Alright..." Jae-Ha gives up.

"And please, don't mind the mess I once did. I was in a bad mood." Zeno laughs a bit.

He sits on the ground in a meditating position and his whole body begins glowing again.

"Now go. They are waiting for you." Zeno says without opening his eyes.

The three other dragons walk across the hole. Once they're gone, a single tear falls down the mourning Ouryuu.

"There's no turning back now..." he whispers.

  
Jae-Ha, Shin-Ah and Kija walk slowly down the stairs, looking around and searching for the underground lake.

"I'm worried about Zeno." Shin-Ah confesses.

"Me too. What could possibly be so awful that he won't even come with us down here...?" Jae-Ha responds.

"I understand why he doesn't want to be here, but I wish we hadn't left him alone." Shin-Ah adds, knowing perfectly that Zeno didn't want to see pity in their eyes once they discover his power.

They walk a few more minutes before finally noticing the sacred tree.

"There it is." Jae-Ha says in relief.

After that, neither of them can say anything, too amazed to talk. The atmosphere surrounding this place is simply out of time. They feel extremely peaceful, as if any trouble in their soul was suddenly gone.

They take their shoes off and slowly step in the warm water. As soon as they touch the water, the tree begins glowing the same warm light Zeno just did.

"W..What's going on...?" Kija asks nervously.

" _Thee shouldn't be afraid, Hakuryuu, as we all share the same soul._ " a low voice echoes in the sanctuary.

"Who's here ?!" the White Dragon shouts with a defensive move.

" _Be quiet, thee who disturbs our eternal sleep._ " another voice says.

Shin-Ah looks around him and takes his mask off. He eyes the water and before his astonished eyes appear hundred of celestial dragons.

Kija and Jae-Ha are also startled by those ghost-like figures. 

"A..Are you maybe... the previous Dragon Warriors...?" Jae-Ha asks respectfully.

" _Told you the Green Dragons were the smartest ones._ " a more informal voice laughs a bit.

" _Shut up, Shuten._ " another voice exclaims.

"S..Shuten..?" Jae-Ha whispers.

" _Guys ! We were trying to be serious here...!_ " 

" _Oh come on Abi, nobody buys your ridiculous ancient style language._ " 

Jae-Ha, Kija and Shin-Ah look at each other in confusion.

" _Gotta agree, you don't fool anyone like that._ " a very familiar voice joins.

"That voice... M..Master Ao...?" Shin-Ah says in awe.

" _What's up, kid ?_ " the same voice answers.

"You really are the previous dragons..." Jae-Ha mumbles.

" _Guilty._ "

" _That's right._ "

" _Touché._ "

"Oh my God... F..Father...? Are you also here...?" Kija whispers.

" _I am, son._ " a low voice replies.

"I'm so glad...!" Kija smiles widely, happy to know that his father is now surrounded by all his dragon brothers.

" _Nice seeing you all here._ " another voice tells them.

"Garou ?" Jae-Ha asks in amazement.

" _I'm glad you made it alive, Jae-Ha. I'm really sorry for the way I behaved and everything I said..._ " Garou whispers.

"It's fine, I'm sorry I took your Green Dragon's power as well as your life..." Jae-Ha cries a bit.

" _Don't worry, so is the destiny of the Warrior Dragons._ " Jae-Ha can hear a little smile in his voice.

  
" _Something is wrong._ " Shuten's voice complains.

"W..What's wrong ?" Kija mumbles.

" _Why is there only three of you here ?_ " Kija's father says.

" _Yeah, where's this crazy little Ouryuu ?_ " Guen asks.

" _It's been a while since he last came here._ " Abi adds.

"He..hum..." Kija mumbles.

"He didn't wish to come here." Jae-Ha explains.

" _What ?!_ "

" _No way._ "

" _He wouldn't leave this place for years, why wouldn't he wanna come see us ?!_ "

" _Oh... I see..._ " Shuten speaks again.

" _Really ?_ " Abi asks.

" _He wants us to tell them about his power and don't want to deal with the immediate aftermaths._ " the very first Green Dragon explains.

" _Oh..._ " Kija's father sighs.

" _No wonder, with how much your foolish son pushed him._ " Guen adds.

"H..How do you know about that ?" Kija panics.

" _We hear and see everything, everywhere . Except behind this temple's walls._ " Ao explains.

" _We witnessed your unworthy behavior, White Dragon._ " Guen adds seriously.

"I just wanted to know about his power." Kija argues.

" _He is the Ouryuu, you should be heavily punished for what you did._ " Shuten says angrily.

"I didn't _do_ anything !" Kija retorts.

" _You disrespected him !_ " Kija's father suddenly yells.

Kija shuts up, embarassed and completely frozen.

" _By disrespecting him, you disrespected the Gods._ " Guen says softly, trying to ease his dragon brother.

" _You shouldn't even be allowed on those sacred grounds ! If it was up to me, you would be deprived of the gifted dragon claws._ " Kija's father continues shouting.

"B..But I didn't even hurt him, I just wanted to know." he mumbles in fear.

" _You are not worthy of such knowledge ! The Ouryuu is the most sacred Dragon of us all and you disrespected his privacy !_ " the previous White Dragon says angrily.

"It's not like I did it on my own, Shin-Ah agreed with me !" Kija responds.

Shin-Ah looks down in shame.

"I..I'm sorry..." he whispers.

" _Yeah, it's not because we're scolding Kija that we forgot about your involvment in the matter._ " Ao speaks gravely.

" _We are deeply disappointed in your behavior, Seiryuu._ " Abi adds.

"I didn't know that something like that would happen, I'm deeply sorry." he answers.

" _As you should be. Using the Blue Dragon's power on another dragon is a severe sin and espectially on the Ouryuu._ " Ao tells him.

" _You two should be punished for harming him the way you did !_ " Kija's father shouts again.

" _Calm down, Hakuryuu._ "Abi advices.

" _Abi's right, he is your son and the current White Dragon._ " Guen tells him.

" _Zeno apparently trusts him enough to bring him to us and we have to respect his wishes._ " Abi says again.

" _Fine ! But be aware of my deepest disapointment, Kija._ " his father finally give in.

Shuten stays silent, as does Jae-Ha. Despise being known for their heated temperament, Green Dragons can also be very wise.

" _Well, now that we're all clear, we should tell you._ " Abi sighs.

" _They're not worthy..._ " Kija's father adds softly.

" _Zeno wishes for them to know the truth and the truth they will be granted._ " Ao says.

"So, what is it ? Zeno's power...?" Jae-Ha asks.

" _The Ouryuu was gifted with the power of life._ " Shuten whispers.

Jae-Ha feels that the first Green Dragon is much more sentimental when it comes to Zeno than the others. He doesn't understand the depth of their relationship yet but he can already sense that there's more to it.

"The power of life ? We already know he can heal other people." Kija argues.

" _You don't get it, Hakuryuu. The power of life is way more complicated._ " Abi explains.

" _He can't die. By accepting the Yellow Dragon's blood, the Ouryuu was granted with eternal life._ " Shuten says sadly.

" _That is the real power of life._ " Guen adds with grief.

  
"What ?!" Jae-Ha and Kija both shout at the same time.

  
"That's amazing !" Kija goes on.

"He can't die ?! How long has he been living ?! That's great !" Jae-Ha adds.

But the other dragons don't answer. A few seconds pass in silence.

"It..It's _great_ , isn't it...?" Jae-Ha suddenly feels like he's missing the point.

" _It is not._ " Kija's father whispers.

"What are you talking about, father ? Immortal life ! He must have seen so many empires, so many cultures and amazing people !" Kija cheers.

" _For the young dragon that you are, it may seem extremely thrilling but the Ouryuu's power is a real curse._ " Abi explains wisely.

"Why is that...?" Jae-Ha asks.

" _Jae-Ha, can you imagine for a second how painful an eternal life actually is ? The Ouryuu has been here since the beginning of the Dragon Warriors, he has felt all his brothers die years after years._ " Garou tells him softly.

" _We, the first generation of dragons, were present when King Hiryuu ruled the empire and had to live through his death. It was extremely painful and heartbreaking. So much that Abi, Shuten and I left the palace. But Zeno stayed there, fighting every conflict, every war by himself._ " Guen says.

" _He felt us die one after the other and as if it wasn't enough, the next generations of dragons kept emerging and dying. His master was gone, his friends and brothers too, but he could never rest peacefully. He had to relive the loss of his blood brothers again and again._ " Abi sighs again.

"I..I didn't realize..." Jae-Ha whispers.

" _I know, it's hard for a young man to fully comprehend how much pain Zeno has endured during his eternal life. But I know that you've all experienced the loss of a loved one once in your short life. Now take that pain and multiply it by two thousands years._ " Garou explains.

"That's awful..." Kija says softly.

" _It is, and what's worse for him is knowing that his torture will never end. There is no possible salvation for his cursed soul._ " Ao tells them with sadness.

"How do you know all that, Master ? Did you meet Zeno during your life on earth ?" Shin-Ah asks joylessly.

" _We've actually all met him at least once during our life._ " Kija's father speaks for him.

"How come ?" Kija responds.

" _Well, for the first hundreds of generations of Dragon, Zeno picked up the young warrior children and raised them here. He took care of them, teaching them how to master their powers with the help of us, the previous dragons._ " Guen explains.

" _Yeah, I remember when this place was filled with Zeno's and those children's laughters. It was wonderful, he taught them how to accept their powers with tolerance and respect._ " Abi adds.

"Why did he stop ?" Jae-Ha asks.

" _Well, after a thousand years of raising kids and feeling them die one after the other, I suppose he couldn't take it anymore. He grew very close to those generations of dragons and the more he cared for them, the more their death broke him._ " Guen answers.

The three current Dragon Warriors don't say anything, imagining how the death of all those dragons must have hurt Zeno.

" _It was very hard for him, losing his own children. But it wasn't what caused him to stop fostering those young dragons. What really broke him was the bloody night..._ " Shuten finally speaks up.

Jae-Ha can almost hear tears in his voice.

"The b..bloody night...?" he questions nervously.

" _Shuten... I'm not sure the Ouryuu would be very pleased if we told them about this fateful night._ " Garou says softly.

" _He wants them to know the truth about him and that event completly changed him. He wouldn't have sent them to us if he didn't want us to be entirely honest, Garou._ " Shuten adds.

" _Well, you're the one who knows him best, Shuten. Do as you wish._ " Garou answers respectfully.

"What's so special about this night ?" Kija asks, curious.

" _As Guen said, Zeno welcomed numerous children here. Not only dragon warriors, but also orphans, abused kids. He gave them another chance at life, filled with tolerance and respect for the Gods. But by doing so, he also made enemys._ " Abi explains.

" _The abusive families he took those children from didn't like a stranger fostering their kids. In the end, they all allied and kidnapped him._ " Guen adds.

" _They tortured him for months. We were all extremely worried, his power had to stay a secret or else, all the armies would experiment on him and use him. But of course, those villagers quickly discovered that Zeno couldn't die._ " Shuten pauses, composing himself.

Nobody dares to interrupt him, knowing that seeing Zeno in this state really hurt the Ryokuryuu at the time.

" _They hurt him in ways you can't even imagine. But this idiot wouldn't give them their children back. He said that they weren't worthy of their innocent sacred offsprings._ " Shuten continues. 

" _They somehow formed a small army to take him down, but they knew that attacking him alone would be useless since he cannot die._ " Ao adds.

" _So they released him and attacked the shrine a few weeks later. We still don't know how they figured how to enter the shrine or how they even found it. But there was nothing we could do..._ " Guen says quietly.

"W..What happened ?" Jae-Ha asks nervously.

" _They killed everyone. Zeno tried to protect the kids but the enemies were just too numerous, they killed ever single child._ " Shuten whispers in pain.

Jae-Ha's jaw dropped. How could they have done this, to their own children...?

" _There was blood everywhere and this massacre just broke Zeno. He had not only lost all the young Dragon Warriors but more than twenty other innocent kids._ " Guen says.

"I can't believe it..." Kija adds.

" _After that night, Zeno confined himself here. He didn't even move the children's corpses, spent his time softly singing to them as if they were alive... We really thought he had lost his mind._ " Abi explains.

" _Years passed and one morning, Zeno cleaned everything up and burried the remainings somewhere only he knows about._ " Shuten still whispers.

" _He spent a few months mourning on their graves and one night he came down here and said goodbye. He left the shrine and wandered the world, alone and broken._ " Guen adds.

"What happened after that ?" Jae-Ha asks.

" _Zeno stopped involving himself in human's business. He lived in the forest, travelled a lot._ " Abi says.

" _He met a woman in the forest and spent years by her side. She was sick and died quickly but I believe it was her who convinced him to seek the young Dragon Warriors again._ " Shuten tells them.

" _So he searched the world and found us. He didn't take us to the shrine like the early generations but he would always be here when we were sad or depressed._ " Ao explains.

" _Yeah, I remember him coming out of nowhere everytime I needed someone by my side. He secretly took care of us and showed us how to use our powers._ " Garou adds.

" _But he stayed a stranger to us. He didn't want to grow too close to anyone, well, until you came along._ " Kija's dad says.

"Us ? But he never took care of us when we were younger." Kija tells him.

" _You weren't aware at the time, but Zeno has always been watching you all from afar._ " the previous Hakuryuu explains.

"Hum...Do you mind me asking something...?" Jae-Ha says nervously.

" _By all means, Ryokuryuu._ " Abi responds.

"What happened to Zeno's village ? I don't understand, he said he was raised here." he tells him.

" _Well, that's yet another story..._ " Guen whispers.

"What happened to his people ?" Kija asks.

" _You see, the shinto priests were never afraid of the Dragon Gods and summoned the Yellow Dragon's spirit to dwell in their shrine. Zeno has always been a sensitive boy and was the only one able to actually talk with the Yellow Dragon._ " he explains.

" _I guess the God had already made his choice._ " Shuten mumbles.

" _Zeno once told me that when he met with the Yellow Dragon for the last time, he offered him a deal. He said he would grant Zeno the power to protect his loved ones by becoming their shield. But he never explicitely told him that it would lead to an eternal life._ " Abi adds.

"Did he really have a choice ? How lucky !" Kija exclaims.

" _He wasn't lucky, Hakuryuu. The Yellow Dragon took his life away by unabling him to die._ " Shuten growls.

" _You're getting off topic, Ryokuryuu. The Yellow Dragon told him that this ability to protect and heal would come with a high price. But unfortunately for Zeno, he never detailed the said price._ " Abi goes on.

" _The thing is that Zeno, as selfless as he is, never thought that this high price would include anyone else than himself. He was ready to give his own life away but the Yellow Dragon had decided otherwise..._ " Guen says.

"What was the real deal ?" Jae-Ha asks.

" _In exchange for his eternal existence, the Yellow Dragon took Zeno's people's life._ " Shuten whispers.

"He did what...?" Kija says quietly.

" _He killed them all. When Zeno woke up from his meeting with the Yellow Dragon, his whole village was dead._ " Abi explains.

"That can't be possible... Just how much have Zeno been hurt for all those years ?" Jae-Ha whispers.

" _Now you know the real significance of the Ouryuu's power._ " Shuten concludes.

During this time, Zeno has stopped meditating. He's feeling kind of dizzy and light-headed because of all the energy he has to spend to keep six people in the shrine, but he can't stay here anymore.

He heads toward a peculiar place ; the throne room.

"There's a throne room in this shrine ?" Shin-Ah asks the previous dragons.

" _Yeah, Zeno rebuilt the exact same throne room as the one in the late Hiryuu Castle._ " Abi answers.

" _He has always hoped that King Hiryuu's spirit would join him in there, they were extremely close._ " Guen adds

" _But he never came._ " Shuten says softly.

Zeno takes a few unsteady steps in the room, looking at solemn throne.

"Are you here, my king ?" he whispers weakly.

But no one responds, there's only silence, like always. Zeno waits for a few seconds before sitting on the stairs next to the throne.

"I don't mind, King Hiryuu. I have all the time in the world, I'll wait for you..." he murmurs, fainting from exhaustion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading this third chapter ! 
> 
> I'm extremely sorry for the long wait, I also have two other ongoing fanfiction right now so it's kinda tough to juggle with all those stories...
> 
> Please tell me what you think about Zeno's dark past !
> 
> Love you all !


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